Iraqi Constitution Vote Watch: Polls Have Closed And Votes Being Counted

The ASSociated Press has Polls Close for Vote on Iraq Constitution.

Iraq’s deeply divided Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds voted under heavy guard Saturday to decide the fate of a new constitution aimed at establishing democracy after more than two decades of Saddam Hussein’s repressive rule.

In the south, Shiite women in head-to-toe veils and men emerged from the poll stations flashing victory signs with fingers stained with purple ink, apparently responding in mass to the call by their top cleric to support the charter.

But in Sunni areas in Baghdad and several key heavily Sunni provinces, a surprisingly high turnout in some areas seemed to consist largely of Iraqis voting “no” because of fears the new constitution would mean setting in stone the Shiite domination they fear.

The Sunni Arab turnout was a dramatic change from January parliamentary election, which most Sunnis boycotted. Now they were eager to cast ballots.

Whatever the electoral outcome a great day for the Iraqi people.

Update #1

Up to 10 million Iraqis voted in a referendum on Saturday, protected by a vast security screen that deterred all but a few ineffectual insurgent attacks.